Louis alexandeb



(No Model.) I I L. ALEXANDER.

PIANO ATTACHMENT. No. 277,824. Patented May 15,1883.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR fl M M Lox/Cw hwomavw W g BY Z/Z M;%%

ATTORNEYS LII I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS ALEXANDER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

PII-ANO ATTAC H M ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,824, dated May 15, 1883.

Application filed February 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Piano-Forte Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of piano-forte attachments in which the hammer-rest rails can be adjusted toward the strings for varying the stroke of the hammer, and thereby reduce the volume of the tone.

The object of my invention is to provide novel means within convenient reach of the performer, whereby the hammer-rail can be adjusted from the exterior of the piano-case independent of any connection with thepedal, whereby the volume of tone can be reduced without changing the quality of the same.

The object of my invention I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an upright piano embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line :10 w of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spondin g parts.

The letter A indicates the piano action frame; B, the hammer; O, the hammer-rest rail; 1), the key, and 8 one of the strings. The hammer-rest rail is firmly secured to a bar, a, from which extend rods 1), the ends of which are turned outward and engage with sockets in the end pieces of the action-frame, whereby the hammer-rest rail can swing in the arc of a circle toward and from the strings of the instrument.

To a pivot, 0, secured in a lug projecting from the piano-frame A, is secured a lever, E, one end of which bears against the hammerrest rail, while the other end is attached to a set-screw, F, the inner end of the screw being milled head, by which the performer can rotate it in the screw-socket of the bar Gr. By turning this screw outward the lever E is acted on so as to move the hammer-rest rail toward the strings, so that the range of the hammers is diminished andthe volume of tone is reduced, and if the hammer-rest rail is adjusted to the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, the hammers will bear upon the strings and the piano-forte becomes entirely dumb. This extreme position, however, will be but rarely used; but a diminution of the range of the hammers affects the volume but not the,

quality of the tone, and the performer is therefore enabled to practice on a piano-forte with the same benefit as heretofore, while the .annoyance of the performance to others is greatly diminished.

' In actions for grand and squarepiano-fortes the adjustment of the hammer-rest rail toward and from the strings can be effected in the same manner as above described. By arranging the adjusting-screw to project through the piano-forte case its outer end is brought into convenient reach of the performer, so that the adjustment of the hammer-rest rail can be of fected' with ease and facility, and when the adjustment is once effected the parts will be retained in such position without the attention of the performer. The inner end of the adjusting-screw acts to move the hammer-rest,

and I do not therefore confine myself to the use of a pivoted lever acting on the hammerrest.

I am aware thata movable hammer-rest rail has been connected with an adjusting-screw, by which it could be moved toward and from the strings; but such screw has heretofore been located entirely within the piano-case, and in order to adjust the rail a part of the piano-case has to be removed for gaining access to the screw.

What I claim'is 1. In a piano-forte, the combination, with the movable hammer-rest rail, of an adjust lug-screw extending through the pianoforte .case to bring its outer end within reach of a performer, and a pivoted lever connected at end arranged to move the hammer-rest rail by the adjustment of the screw, substantially as In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my :0

described. hand and seal in the presence of two subscrib- 2. In a piano-forte, the combination, with a mg witnesses.

movable hammer-rest rail, of an adjusting device extending through the piano-forte case LOUIS ALEXANDER. [L. s.] to bring its outer end within reach of a performer, and means whereby the adjustment of Witnesses:

the device will move the hammer-rest toward W. HAUFF,

the strings, substantially as described. CHAS. WAHLERS. 

